Ear Mites in
Dogs - Symptoms & Treatment

Dog Ear Mites

First, a word of warning

There are many causes of ear infection in dogs
and ear mite infection is not the most common. If you
suspect your dog has an ear infection it is extremely
important that you consult with your veterinarian to obtain
a correct diagnosis.

What are Ear Mites?

As the name suggests, ear mites are a tiny
spider like parasitic mite that infect the ears of dogs and
cats. They usually live in the ear canals but can live
on other parts of the dog or cat's body. They are
more commonly found in cats than dogs.
They are a common cause of ear infection in cats, uncommon
in adult dogs, but common in puppies under 6 months of age.

Ear mites feed on epidermal
debris & ear wax. They burrow into the ear, causing
inflammation which the body responds to by producing more wax.

What are the Symptoms of Ear
Mites in dogs?

Ear mites are terribly uncomfortable for your
dog. Imagine how it would feel having thousands of little bugs
running around in one of your most sensitive areas. Usually
the first symptom you notice will be your dog scratching his
ears or shaking his head due to the extreme itchiness that the
mites cause. His ears may be painful to touch and he may cry
in pain when you touch them or while he is scratching them. He
may rub his face along the ground trying to relieve the
itching. You may also notice a foul odor coming from the ears.

Dogs may cause damage by scratching causing the
ears to bleed. They may also shake their ears with such
intensity that small blood vessels are broken and hematomas
form.

Diagnosis of Ear Mites

If
you have a look inside the ear of an infected dog you will
see dark reddish brown or black debris throughout the ear
canal which has been described as looking like coffee
grounds. Ear mites are visible to the naked eye (but can be
seen more clearly with a magnifying glass) They are
identifiable as white dots moving around among the dark
debris.

Consult with your Veterinarian

Your veterinarian will look in your dogs ear with a
magnifying instrument called an otoscope and may inspect the
debris from the ear under a microscope for a more definite
diagnosis. Ear mite infections can be serious if left
untreated resulting in damage to the ear canals and eardrums leaving deformity of the ears and possible deafness.

Secondary bacterial or yeast infections are
also common so it is important to consult your veterinarian.
Your dog may require antibiotics for secondary
bacterial infections.

Treatment of Ear
Mites. How do I Get Rid Of
Ear Mites?

A word of warning. Over the counter ear mite treatments will
be of no benefit to other types of ear infections that can
commonly affect dogs. Ear mite infection may be misdiagnosed
by the dog's owner often causing a delay in getting the
correct treatment from their veterinarian.

Revolution
is a spot on Parasiticide that is applied once a month to
the skin in front of the shoulder blades (NOT
directly to the ears) of dogs six weeks of age and older.

Revolution is used to prevent heartworm disease, kills adult
fleas and prevents flea eggs from hatching and treats and
prevents ear mite infestation. A very effective three in one
product.

You
can purchase ear mite treatments in the form of ear drops from your pet supply
store.

It is important to clean
out all thegunky black stuff from the ear canal
daily before applying the medication. You can clean this with a thin cloth or cotton balls
dipped in olive oil. (or any other vegetable oil)

Once
the ear canals are cleaned the medication should
then be massaged deeply into the dog's ear
taking care to get into all the nooks and crannies of the ear
canal.
This treatment should be continued for 2 weeks after the dog
seems to be cured to ensure that all ear mites are killed as
they progress through their life-cycle.

Are Ear Mites Contagious?

Ear mites are very contagious
and can be passed on from cat to dog or
dog to dog.

This article has
not been written by a veterinarian & should not be
considered a replacement for a veterinarian visit. The
articles are provided for informative purposes only. While
great care has been made in the creation of these articles,
we cannot guarantee the accuracy or omissions on these
pages. If in any doubt whatsoever, seek professional medical
advice from your veterinarian.